


Ota's Big Break

by Neuroticnasty



Category: AI: The Somnium Files (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Ota gets some reckognition, commission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuroticnasty/pseuds/Neuroticnasty
Summary: After the events of the true ending, Ota finds himself ready to take the next step in being an adult.....marriage!Or maybe not.I wrote for a lovely fan of the series.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Ota's Big Break

This was it, the final showdown! Ota had been preparing for this day for months. He worked himself to the bone to save up to afford a basic band. While he wanted to give Tesa the biggest diamond he could, that was still out of his pay range. But she was always so kind and considerate! Surely, she would understand! Hopefully, before their wedding, he would be able to squander together enough money to get her the ring of her dreams. But that wouldn't be for a long time, he was willing to wait though. Ota continued his internal monologue as he paced outside of Lemniscate. He couldn't risk running into Tesa too early, his heart wasn't ready yet. Just thinking about spending his life with her made his heart soar. When he was delivering papers in the morning, it would be after eating a homemade breakfast by Tesa and getting a kiss on the cheek. As he assisted working in a nearby shop, she would stop by to hand him a homemade lunch. At the end of his day, he would go home to find freshly brewed tea and sweets made by Tesa herself. He would enjoy them while writing part of his novel before eating dinner with her. Yes, it was like a dream for him! But it was still a dream, he had to confess first! Ota took a deep breath before entering the building.

Lemniscate was as clean as always. The sleek interior of the building matched its exterior appearance. With Mizuki having a say on the designing, he noticed more advertisements for A-set, his Tesa. Other than that, the lobby looked the same as always. Speaking of which...."Oh hey Ota, here to see A-set?" a familiar voice called out to him. Ota walked up to the receptionist's desk to the blonde woman behind it. Ritsuko Enshu was the full-time receptionist at Lemniscate. She was good at her job and held the fort down enough another one wasn't needed. Ota knew her well from his many visits. She always greeted him and was nice, even if they didn't have much in common. Usually, they talked about A-set or the latest events at Lemniscate. Not that he was trying to get information from her! It was just the easiest thing to talk about. "Yeah, you know it! Is she here?" Ota asked. "Yeah, she is still in the recording though so you might want to take a seat" Ritsuko explained. That was no surprise, Ota usually came after Tesa tweeted that she would be recording soon. He came so he could see her right after recording, although that's not what he told her. Instead, he would say he was there to make sure no one suspicious waited for her. With what happened in the last few months, it was more believable. With the cyclops killer case finally closed, they could rest easily. But there was still a chance one someone could make a move on Tesa.

"That's okay, I don't mind waiting," Ota said with a shy smile. Just knowing Tesa was in the building was enough to make him smile. "That's so cute, you're like so devoted to A-set huh?" Ritsuko teased him. "Yeah, I'm like her bodyguard in a way" Ota admitted shamelessly. He didn't want to say he was her hero, that was too embarrassing. Although, he had come to save her a few times. "Oh really, you must be all kinds of strong" she continued. "Oh, I'm not that strong, just when it comes to Tesa. I can do anything" Ota explained. Ritsuko just giggled at that, making Ota blush. "I'm gonna hook up my laptop over there okay?" he told her. "Sure, I'll be here if you need anything," Ritsuko said. With that, Ota went ahead and sat in his usual spot. It was on one of the black couches in the lobby. From where he was sitting, he could see the door to the rest of Lemniscate. He had never been back there before, but that was where Tesa would come from. He usually sed up his laptop to do his "protecting", but not anymore. Nowadays, he just updated his social media accounts with the current A-set advertisements and promotions. He even ran a fan-account for A-set, so he could run events for fans and forward gifts to her. He did it in his spare time, although his jobs made it hard to be active 24/7.

After about an hour, A-set walked out into the lobby. 'A-set' was Iris Sagan, a girl who lived close by to him. They had become close friends after the trouble she had been involved in. Iris stopped as she saw Ota waiting for her. "Hey, Ota! What's up?" she called out to him. Ota jumped, suddenly his plan going out of the window. "O-oh! Just hanging around, y' know?" Ota laughed nervously. Iris sat next to him, smiling enthusiastically. "Oh yeah? Anything new to report?" she asked. Usually, Ota would talk to her about all types of occult things. They shared an interest in the strange and the weird. "Hmm, just some rumors but nothing legit. If you'd like, I can tell you about it for your next stream" he offered. Ota often searched the net for any new occult stuff that Tesa could talk about during her stream. "Yeah, I'd love to hear it" Iris agreed. She was always thankful for Ota's support. Especially when it was something she could use in her streams. "Well I have news for you," Ota said gleefully as he began sharing his report with her. The entire time, he thought about his important question for Iris. It wasn't something he could just drop in the conversation. He imagined it would only make her say no, so Ota thought that talking about something fun would create the perfect moment for him. He made sure to especially focus on the occult that involved couples, dating or married.

"Some people have tried the vending machine rumor, but no results. A lot of them admitted to not really being couples, so maybe that is why?" Ota said hopefully. He hoped Iris would want to try it with him, but he was a little shy at asking. "Wow, this must be a really romantic ghost. Gonna have to put that one on the back burner" Iris giggled. Ota hoped she couldn't hear the disappointment in his voice. "Y-yeah...it's not like we can test that one" Ota agreed. He moved on to the lesser-known occult stuff, hoping to keep her attention. "Oh, what about this one? 'The door that knocks back'?" Iris suggested. It was a fairly cute one, knocking on a door at an old building and getting a knockback. "Sure! If you want, I can come to record it for you" Ota offered. On rare occasions, he would help record for her streaming. He had shelled out some of his personal savings to afford expensive equipment to make sure her stream was 100% as good as Lemniscate's. Although, it put a good dent in his "savings". "Okay! We can do that sometime this week. I have some things going on but I'm sure I could squeeze it in" Iris agreed. Once he had run out of occult topics to share, Ota felt the conversation was losing steam. He didn't want Iris to get bored of him, so he figured now was a perfect time. "Say, Tesa? Can I ask you something?" he began. Ota could already feel his mouth going dry, damn! He should have bought a soda before this!

"Huh? Sure" Iris blinked owlishly. Ota had never asked her before presenting a question. Come to think of it, she didn't take him for the type to not share with her. "Well, we've known each other for a long time, and we've been together a lot too. I think of you as someone important to me, more than just someone I like to watch play games and sing" Ota felt a blush rise on his face. It wasn't the words he had planned thousands of times in his head, but they were from the heart. He just hoped she didn't think they were cheesy. "Anyways, I want you to know I really do care about you. Not A-set or Tesa, but Iris Sagan. I like the real you just as much as your idol persona" Ota continued. He hesitantly reached out for her hands, to which, she didn't pull away. That was a good sign! "So, would you do me the honor of marrying me?" Ota blurted out. His eyes stared up at her eyes as he searched them for an answer. Iris gaped, struggling to form a response. "Uh...Ota...." she mumbled out. He felt her hands gently pull away, causing him alarm. "Y-yes?" he stammered out. "I like you Ota, but not like that. In fact, I'm not really looking to date anyone, let alone marry them" Iris confessed. "O-oh, right" Ota deflated instantly. Iris was a busy idol, of course, she wasn't interested in dating. Not to mention, most idols didn't marry at the risk of losing fans. Yeah, that made sense.

"Sorry Ota" Iris said quietly. "No, it's okay. I understand. Now's not really a great time anyway. We're both just kinda figuring it all out" Ota confessed. "Yeah, I appreciate having your help, Ota. I don't want to muddle our relationship with something like that either" Iris agreed. Ota nodded; it wouldn't look good to marry your tech guy huh? Even so, he couldn't help but feel the rejection sting his heart. He had worried about her saying no, but he didn't dwell on it. Now that it had become his reality, Ota wanted the ground to swallow him whole. "I-I appreciate being able to help you Tesa, anything I can do you can count on me!" Ota said after some time. He hadn't realized he had frozen on her just now. "I'm glad to hear it! Oh..." Iris trailed off. A man entered the building, he had short spikey brown hair. "Uncle!" Iris jumped up and ran over to him. Ota recognized the man as "Date". Of course, he wasn't in the same body though. The Date he knew had been the cyclops-killer and was now dead. Despite that, Iris reassured him that the man was still Date. Ota walked over after putting the ring away. The last thing he wanted was for Date to know what happened.

"Hey Date, guess what? Ota proposed to me!" Iris announced, much to his dismay. "He what?" Date turned his head to glare at Ota. Now it would be a good time ground! "I-I mean! We're both kind of the same age! It's no big deal though! She said no!" Ota shouted. He flinched as he realized he had announced the rejection to the entire lobby. Date turned to Iris, as if not believing his claim. "Yup, I said no" she confirmed. "Good girl, you are way too young to get married" Date praised her. He looked back at Ota, realizing the boy's heart was in shambles. "Besides Ota, don't you have an upcoming novel you need to work on? Planning a wedding is time-consuming as is. You shouldn't sweat the single life that much" Date told him. Ota knew he was just trying to make him feel better. "Yeah, I do. You have a point" Ota agreed. It did make him feel slightly better. "Mizuki mentioned something about you being single for six years, how'd you do it?" Ota asked happily. Date visibly flinched, not taking it as a compliment. "Don't say it like it's an achievement!" Date argued. "Hmm, maybe he was cursed? Like the lonely bathroom stall story?" Iris added in. "Don't make my personal life an urban legend" Date scolded her too.

Ota felt a little better after talking with Date. Much to his surprise, Date was actually very considerate. Ota began to think back about their first meeting. He thought Date was mean and stiff at first, but now he actually liked him. "Hey Date, be honest with me. Would you date me?" Ota asked out of the blue. "Date? What's got that in your head?" Date asked. Ota looked at the ground shyly, wearing a silly grin. "Well you did say you were going to make a move on me before, I just couldn't help but think about it again since we're in Lemniscate and all" Ota explained. Date recalled the time he accidentally spoke with his mouth instead of internally. Even now, he still did it on rare occasions. "Uh, let's just say you’re not my type" Date shot him down. "Oh, your type? You have a type?" Ota asked. "Yeah! short brown hair, really nice, the type to be a teacher and cooks really well" Iris explained. "Hey! I'm some of those things!" Ota said hopefully. "Enough out of you" Date said as he flicked Iris's forehead. She pouted, saying a tiny "owie" and rubbing her forehead. "Anyways, we gotta go. Iris has a check-up and Hitomi can't make it today" Date explained. "Yup! They're gonna look inside my brain again. But I'll be okay!" Iris cheered. "I know you will Tesa! Nothing can beat you!" Ota cheered her on. It took more pushing on Date's end to get Iris into the car, but they eventually left Ota at Lemniscate.

(receptionist)

"Ouch, must've been rough huh?" Ritsuko finally spoke up after Date and Iris left. Ota had forgotten she was there. "So, you heard it all?" he asked. "Hard not to, you were kinda loud" she explained. Ota recalled the way he had confessed his love, maybe he should have practiced on the volume control more. "It does hurt, but I'd rather have Tesa in my life than not at all" Ota confessed. He did feel bad about the rejection, but it could've been much worse. If Iris had found him creepy and no longer wanted him around, it would kill him. In a way, this was for the best, he wasn't a man that could take care of Iris yet. He would just have to keep working at it and try again. "But she let me down easy, just like the Tesa I know would. It honestly just makes me like her more" Ota confessed. "Aww that's like super cute Ota! Girls like persistence after all" Ritsuko praised him. "T-they do?" he asked. "Totally, like keep helping her with stuff and complimenting her. She'll totally fall for you that way" Ritsuko explained. But Ota couldn't help but think that is what he was doing now. "Maybe I should set my sights on someone else" he mumbled out. "Hm? Over A-set already?" Ritsuko giggled. "N-n-no! Tesa is still my number one! I just think as far as dating, I should consider someone else" Ota explained hurriedly. He didn't want anyone to think he disliked Iris. Even worse, if someone told her that. He might actually die then! "Oh, I'm just teasing. But if you think that's a good idea then go for it. It's like switching up diet plans when one is working out for you" Ritsuko agreed. "Diet plans?" Ota was a little lost at how the conversation had switched to it.

"Yeah, like I tried a seaweed diet, but it didn't work out for me, so I switched to a no bread diet and felt much better" Ritsuko explained. Despite doing so, Ota still felt confused. "Oh yeah, I think I get it," he said. He could tell she was trying to make him feel better too, in her own way. While her advice had not been as direct as Date, Ota could still feel the warmth of her actions. "S-say Ritsuko? Could you help me with the dating game?" Ota asked. "Huh? Me?" Ritsuko stopped for a moment. "Y-yeah! You're pretty and know a lot about trends. I bet you have a lot of guys who flirt with you too. I just want some help since I haven't dated before" Ota explained. "Oh Ota, you're so sweet. Well, I can't say you're wrong but sure! Why the heck not?" Ritsuko agreed. Ota cheered loudly and did his iconic pose. "Ota, bachelor in training, at your command!" he announced. "First thing, don't do that again" Ritsuko stated promptly. "O-o-oh! Right!" Ota quickly stood at attention. He had been so caught up in his joy he didn't realize he had done something as embarrassing as that in public. "The first thing you want to do is work on your image, it's better to find out the type of guy your target likes" Ritsuko explained. Now that Ota thought about it, he never really asked Iris who her type was. It made his blood boil to think she was interested in a guy, even if it might be him. But even if he asked, he couldn't help but think her answer would have been too vague to really attach to someone.

"Well what's your type?" he asked Ritsuko. "Mine? Hmmm," Ritsuko thought for a moment. Ota felt sweat forming on his forehead. He wasn't trying to make it obvious, but he was considering her as an alternative. She was older than him, a change-up from his usual type. But he couldn't deny she was beautiful and had.... assets too. He was anxious to hear her type, what if he was her type? The excitement might make him explode. "Well, I kinda have a thing for older guys but I don't dislike younger guys either," she said after some time. "O-oh really?!" yes! Ota had a chance after all. "Yeah, but they have to be reptilian. I just can't date a guy who isn't yeah?" Ritsuko explained. "R-reptilian?" Ota stuttered. He began to imagine the type of half-breed humans from his sci-fi movies. Was she into that kind of thing? Maybe it was a kink? Ota began thinking of the places he could buy a costume from to fit her interests. "You know, eats veggies only? I know it's like picky but I kinda like it" Ritsuko explained. "Oh...' reptilian'..." Ota nodded. He realized she had meant Vegetarian, but he wasn't going to correct her. Ota was not a vegetarian and honestly never thought of it before. He didn't mind vegetables, but he didn't really eat them very much. Mostly since his nutrition consisted of snacks and whatever he ate at maid or manga cafes. But he could try being a vegetarian if she wanted him to be. "Okay, so would you date a guy if he tried being a vegetarian?" Ota asked. "Hmm, maybe. Kinda depends on the rest" Ritsuko admitted.

"The rest?" Ota pushed for an explanation. "Yeah like how clean is he? How does he dress? What's his occupation and the other stuff" Ritsuko continued. Ota suddenly felt self-conscious under the woman's gaze. He thought he looked pretty trendy. But even Date had a more charming wardrobe than he did. Ota never really wore a suit or anything high-end before. His hygiene was pretty okay, he showered daily and washed his hair. But he lacked facial hair, which led to people thinking he was younger than he really was. Ota's work was pretty remarkable though! He was holding down two part-time jobs and working independently! But he still hadn't published a book yet. "I-I see, that really does make the man," Ota said dejectedly. He hadn't thought much about his appearance in terms of looks or actions. His mind had been focused on Iris and promoting her, it was hard to think about himself now. "Well, what about bad things?" Ota asked. "Bad things? Like Yakuza?" Ritsuko asked, "N-no! Not like that!" Ota squeaked. He couldn't imagine himself being a gangster. Just the sight of blood made him queasy. "I mean like the bad things in a significant other. What makes you not want to date a guy?" Ota explained. "Ohhhh, why didn't you just say so" Ritsuko giggled. Ota didn't want to admit he was afraid she thought of him as undatable. That would hurt more than his rejection.

"Well, if it was me. I couldn't date a guy that was kinda creepy y ‘know? Like if he had a secret collection of hair or something" Ritsuko explained. Ota checked the box off, he didn't have any weird collections like that. Of course, he had a growing collection of A-set merchandise but that wasn't weird! "Yeah, I understand that. It's definitely the sign of a creep" Ota agreed. "Hmmm, oh and he can't be a flirt with other women. It's just tacky" Ritsuko continued. The more she talked; the more confident Ota was feeling. He wasn't a flirt or a creep! "You are right, I wouldn't even want to date someone like that" he agreed. Ritsuko gave him a knowing smile, telling him she had heard his proposal to Date. "Uh, but this isn't about who I would date" Ota quickly changed the subject. "Right, but do you even know who you would date?" Ritsuko asked. Ota froze up, he wouldn't say he had an ideal type per se. But right now, he would describe someone like Iris. "No, I guess not" he admitted. It was pretty sad of him to not know who his type was, how was he supposed to start dating. "That's alright, it will make it more fun when you try dating. It's like trying a makeup palette for the first time" Ritsuko reassured him. While he couldn't really relate, Ota appreciated it. "I'm glad you said that I was kinda thinking maybe we could go on a date?" Ota suggested. Ritsuko stared at him quietly, a very uncharacteristic reaction from her.

"Oh, Ota I'm going to have to say no," Ritsuko said gently. "I figured as much; can I ask why?" he replied. "Well, you're like too young? I might be more welcome to it in like another 10 years maybe" she explained. Ota was at least 10 years younger than her, so he understood how weird that must feel. "Okay, gotcha" he couldn't hide the sadness in his voice. Was he really that undesirable? "But hey, look on the bright side! We've got an age range for you at least!" Ritsuko said cheerfully. So, she was hinting at him dating women around his age. But Ota couldn't help but think about going older still. "Yeah, okay. That works for me" he nodded in agreement. "That's the spirit, now think about some places you could go to meet girls your age" Ritsuko suggested. Ota began to brainstorm. The places he usually visited were male-dominated areas. The rare times he saw a girl she was usually accompanied by a guy or her friends. Manga cafes, resale shops and other places he went to buy merchandise. None of those places seemed to be popular amongst the ladies. That was when his mind struck gold! "Oh, there is one place I can think of!" he cheered. "Now I'm curious, where?" Ritsuko asked. "Sunfish pocket, the maid cafe" Ota explained. Of course! Why didn't he think of it at first?! That place had a mostly female staff and sometimes girls came to eat. He would surely find someone! "Oh, a maid cafe? It makes sense since there is a lot of women" Ritsuko agreed. "Yeah, I'm a regular too so I might meet someone who is a regular as well" Ota was getting more excited by the minute.

So much, he ran over to pack up his laptop. "I'll head over right now; I am feeling a bit hungry now" he explained. "Good luck Ota" Ritsuko called to him as he dashed out. Sunfish Pocket wasn't far from Lemniscate, located in Akihabara. He knew that area like the back of his hand from the many times he went. So, it was easy for him to navigate his way to Akihabara SPCHUN Theater. He rode the elevator to the second floor and walked into the maid cafe. The place wasn't too busy enough where he had to wait for a seat. As soon as he had come in, a mermaid came over to greet him. "Welcome back Sea King, just one?" the mermaid asked him. "Yup," Ota nodded and followed him to his table. As he passed by other tables, he looked for anyone who would meet his type. There were only a few female customers, all of which either appeared older or were in a group. He sat down dejectedly; half of his plan had gone out the window. He heard someone approach the table and looked up at a familiar face. "Hiya Ota, back for the usual?" Amame Doi smiled at him. She was already carrying the gold trident too. "Yeah, Omelet Rice and a cream soda" he nodded. "Sure, thing Sea king!" Amame handed him the trident before dashing off. Now that Ota had thought about it, Amame was around his age. She was a bit younger but closer than Iris had been. She also knew him very well as he visited frequently. She was always nice to him and was happy to be selected for the Personal Service package.

She attended to him in a more familiar way, making small talk on top of the other mermaid services. She wasn't Iris, but she was someone special to Ota too. He could already see them dating together, it was more realistic than him dating Ritsuko. His daydream continued until Amame came back with his order. "Order up! One Omelet Rice and cream soda!" she announced as she placed it in front of him. "I'd like to order the Personal Service too" Ota added. "Sure, I would be happy to attend to you Sea King!" Amame smiled. Ota could feel his cheeks heat up, normally he was pretty cool about this. But now that he had the image in his mind of Amame doing couple things with him, everything set him on edge. "Want to start with the 'Ahhhh' option?" Amame suggested. "O-oh yeah!" Ota nearly forgot about his food while thinking about her. "Coming right up Sea King" Amame reached down and grabbed the spoon on the plate. She scooped up some of the rice with an omelet on top and guided it to Ota's mouth. "Ahhh," he said playfully before closing his mouth on the spoon. "Haha, you always make eating look so fun Ota" Amame giggled. He felt his cheeks heat up by her comment, he hadn't thought of it that way. It was a good sign she found him appealing, maybe he did have a chance after all? "So, how have things been?" Ota asked as he decided to build small talk up before popping the big question. "Well, Mizuki oversees the cafe now so kinda the same? Mr. Okiura didn't really do much to the cafe. He left it in our hands and trusted us with the upkeep" Amame explained. Ota could believe that he rarely saw Renju Okiura at the cafe, let alone Lemniscate.

"Oh, that's good. I know Mizuki really likes coming here too" Ota replied. "She's always so nice, it's a little weird calling her boss now but I trust her" Amame agreed. Ota recalled the times he and Mizuki would come or meet up at the cafe. She always treated the mermaids kindly. "It would be a shame if this place closed, it's my favorite cafe in Akihabara" Ota smiled. "Aww, you're too sweet Ota! I'm happy this place stayed open too" Amame giggled. Ota was feeling rather good about the air between them, deciding to give his proposal a shot. "I mean the food is good, but I also like seeing you too" he confessed. "Hmm? Are you sure you like me better than food? 'Sea King'?" Amame giggled as she fed him another spoonful. Ota ate it happily, grinning from ear to ear. "I-I mean it, I really like you!" he repeated. "With that kind of lip service, you'd make a great mermaid too" Amame teased him. Ota felt his face grow warmer, she really thought so. Wait, this wasn't where he wanted it to go! He shook his head, breathing deeply to focus. "I didn't mean it like that, I meant that I really like you" he explained. Amame blinked tilting her head slightly. "Well we are kinda friends, I would sure hope you liked me" she grinned. "What I mean is, would you like to go out sometime? Like a date?" Ota decided to be franker about it this time. "Oh, a date?" Amame stepped back slightly. She was looking down, a bit troubled by his request. Ota didn't miss it, feeling guilty about putting her in that situation.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable!" he apologized. "No, it's okay Ota. It's just kinda taboo to date our customers" Amame explained. Ota listed calmly, feeling more relieved than heartbroken. "As a maid, it can be dangerous to date customers and such. So, I kinda resigned myself to avoid dating customers, regulars especially" Amame explained. Ota could understand that he heard of many incidents involving maids and stalkers on the web. He was also aware of the unspoken rules of a maid cafe. As much as he would like to date Amame, he didn't want to not come back to Sunfish Pocket. What if Mizuki and Iris invite him out again? He couldn't turn them down. "Plus, you are a good friend Ota. I don't know if our lives outside my work would really make a relationship work" Amame continued. Come to think of it, Ota didn't really know much about her outside of working at a maid cafe. He was really taking a shot in the dark with this one. "Right....we are pretty good friends..." Ota agreed. "Uh-huh! You're like the best guy friend I have!" Amame cheered for him. While it did make him feel better, he couldn't help but feel a dull ache in his chest. Once again, Ota had been shot down. This time had hurt less since there was more, he hadn't thought about that interfered with them dating. He didn't want to jeopardize Amame's livelihood as a maid. He was sure she had a few regulars that liked her too. If they found out, she was dating someone let alone another regular would put her popularity at risk.

"Thanks, I'm glad you think so. You're a good friend of mine too. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that too" Ota apologized. "Oh, don't worry about it! I've had some customers who asked the same thing to me" Amame explained. Ota wasn't surprised at all; he knew that being a maid was rough when there were creepy guys out there who thought the girls owed them a relationship. "It must be rough huh?" Ota sympathized with her. "It is, but I still like my job. I get to see you, Iris, and Mizuki all the time too" Amame explained. Ota felt a swell of pride inside him at the thought of her enjoying his company this much. "Sorry to change the subject on you, but earlier you said I had a chance at being a maid?" he asked. He wanted to switch the conversation away from relationships for the time being. "Oh yeah, you totally have the sweet-talking down. Plus, you are very young, I could see you being a maid" she explained. Ota hadn't ever thought about it before, but it sounded interesting enough. Being able to wear cute clothes and role-play wasn't half bad! "You're flattering me, I don't know if I could pull off being a mermaid" Ota sighed. He had to admit, the girls here really took the sea theme seriously, he wasn't sure he could replicate that. "Nonsense! Why not try with me?" Amame offered. "O-oh? Right now? Here?" Ota asked. "Yup, you can try doing the services with me" she explained. Ota suddenly felt nervous. He was getting the chance to act like a mermaid, but it was still in public. What if he made a mistake? Or worse, what if someone recorded him? "I-I don't know..." he trailed off.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Amame pressured him some more. He really couldn't say no to her. "Okay, I'll give it a shot" Ota complied. "Yay! Let's try the 'Ahhh' option" she suggested. Amame pulled up a seat next to Ota and pretended to be a Sea King. "Ota, your king requests food," she said in a grand voice. "O-oh, right Sea King!" Ota fumbled with the spoon as he scooped up some rice with omelet. "Ahhhh" Amame opened her mouth and waited for him to stick it inside. Her lips closed around the spoon and Ota pulled away slowly. "See? A natural!" Amame giggled as she swallowed her food. Ota felt a rush of excitement, it was different being on the other side of it after all. "Is it really that easy?" he asked her. Amame stood back up, resting her hands on her hips. "Easy? Hardly! Now comes the hard part" she giggled. Ota began to sweat, how much more difficult was this going to get. "Firstly, you must know how to greet your patron!" Amame announced. Ota sighed in relief; he could do that! From what he saw from Anime and manga, greeting the patron meant being cute and bubbly. But here at Sunfish pocket, the patrons weren't "Master", rather "Sea King". "Um...Welcome back S-sea King!" Ota said happily. Amame sighed softly, shaking her head. "Not bad, but you have to sound more confident. Although, there are some customers that like the shy type" she explained. Ota felt even more embarrassed by her evaluation of him. "But that's okay, you can make up for it by complementing your Sea King" Amame giggled. Ota felt his mouth go dry, compliment? "Uh, your hair looks nice today?" he tried. "Ahem" she cleared her throat pointedly.

"Oh! Your hair looks nice today Sea King!" he corrected himself. "That's more like it hahaha" Amame giggled. Ota let out a sigh of relief, relaxing more now that he had passed her little examination. "Do you really think I could be a mermaid her?" he asked. Amame thought for a moment, humming loudly. "Probably not, we have a lot of mermaids after all. But maybe at a different cafe", she confessed. Sunfish Pocket had a total of 12 mermaids. For a cafe, that was a lot. "Oh right, maybe I guess I'll look around" Ota sighed. Of course, he wasn't going to consider being a maid at the moment. His jobs and writing were taking up enough time as is. Being a maid on top of that would be too much. "I'll keep you in mind if we ever have an opening, you'll be the first to know" Amame promised him. "Sounds great!" Ota grinned as he finished the rest of his food. After his experience with Amame, he decided to take another look at his options. While there weren't very many women, he was associated with that he could date. There were still plenty of women he knew of. As he headed home, he began considering dating people who didn't know him very well.

maybe if they both didn't know each other; dating might be easier? But who could he talk to now? Ota entered the Matsushita Dinner still deep in thought. "Ota, there you are!" his mother called out to him. Mayumi Matsushita is a stay at home mom with dementia. Because of it, she forgets that her husband died, and their dinner is actually closed.

"Did you get the groceries?" she asked him. "Huh?" Ota snapped out of his thoughts. He didn't recall being asked to get groceries. "Oh, yeah I did. They should be in the fridge" he explained. With her dementia, Mayumi must have thought that she had sent him out to get groceries. When he actually had gone out on his day off. Now that he knew about it, he wasn't going to correct her. It would just make her even more confused and sad. "Oh right, silly me. Thanks for getting those for me Ota. You're such a sweet boy" Mayumi chuckled. The sliding door on the dinner opened again as a woman entered. Ota recognized the woman as his mother's nurse. They had met on a few occasions when he brought her for her check-ups. But lately, she had been making home visits for Mayumi. "Oh, are you a customer?" Mayumi asked the woman. It was rare for her to remember the nurse; let alone why she came. "Mayumi, I'm here to check up on you and give you your prescription. It's me, Hanayo" the nurse explained. Mayumi was quiet for a moment, walking out of the kitchen. "Prescription? Oh! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. Ota sighed; his mom was pretty deep. "You know us old folk, hard to remember our own names sometimes. Hanayo, would you like something to drink?" Mayumi offered. "I'll take some tea please" Hanayo requested. She took a seat at the table on the tatami mat. Ota had still been standing in the dinner, his mind turning with thoughts.

Hanayo was younger than Ritsuko but older than he was. That made her perfect for his age range. Not to mention, she was a nurse. Ota didn't have a thing for nurses, but she could definitely get him into it. She was also smart, kind and attentive to his mom. He thought of her as the ideal adult type. She was serious about her work but had a kind playfulness to her. In a way, she would make an ideal wife. But he threw that last thought to the back of his mind! He wasn't looking for a wife just yet! Instead, he could see Hanayo as a pretty good girlfriend. He began to wonder if she saw him as a potential companion. He walked over to the table, sitting across from her. "Is this seat taken? Hehe..." he opened with a silly joke. "Not at all, go ahead" Hanayo smiled at him. Ota sat down with a warm smile, hoping to get to know her a bit before popping the question. "Say Hanayo, what do you do in your spare time?" he asked. "Why the sudden interest? Not many people try to get to know their nurse" she asked. Crap, Ota needed a solid excuse. He couldn't just say 'well I want to date you' to her! "Oh! Well, I'm juggling two jobs right now and since you are super busy, I thought I'd find out what kind of stuff busy people do" Ota explained. By the look on her face, she believed his little lie. "Two jobs? Don't burn yourself out. Then I might get another patient!" Hanayo laughed. Ota had to refrain from saying he wouldn't mind if she nursed him back to health. Too early for that.

"Well, I like rodeos if you call that a hobby. I mostly shop on my days off for stuff like candles" Hanayo continued. Shopping was very normal, Ota liked that in a woman. "I go shopping too! Although I end up spending most of the day in the shops I go to" Ota explained. He would get lost in the shelves of merchandise, finding a gem amongst the rocks. But he didn't want to talk about his Otaku tendencies in front of Hanayo. "Yeah, sometimes I get caught up in my shopping and lose track of the time" Hanayo agreed. Ota was thankful she didn't ask him about what he shopped for. "Yeah, especially when there are sales. The good ones are hard to pass up. I end up buying things I didn't plan on buying" he agreed. After a while, Mayumi walked out with a teapot and three cups. She placed it on the table and sat on the side next to Ota. "Careful, it's very hot" she warned. "I'll get it" Ota announced as he poured each person a cup of tea. He wanted to show off a bit in front of the nurse too. "Alright, let's get your medicine," Hanayo said as she pulled a bag out. It rattled with the sounds of various pill cases inside. Ota watched her remove each case for his mom. "These are her weekly pills; she has to take some in the morning and some in the evening. Ota, I'm counting on you to refill her case each week" Hanayo explained. Ota felt his heart race, she was counting on him?! "I got it, you can count on me," he said almost a little too enthusiastic about it. "You won't have to worry; Ota takes good care of me" Mayumi agreed.

"That's good, it makes me happy Ota can be so reliable" Hanayo joined in. Ota felt warm and fluffy on the inside after hearing so much praise. He nearly forgot where the conversation was going. "O-oh I almost forgot" he gasped. Ota swallowed, drumming his fingers along his cup. "S-so Hanayo, I was wondering if you'd like to go somewhere sometime?" he asked. "Like a date?" Hanayo guessed. "Y-yeah, a date" Ota confirmed for her. Mayumi looked between the too, shocked by his offer. "A date? With my boy?" she gaped. Everyone was quiet as Hanayo shook her head. "Sorry Ota, it's not you, it's me. I already have a fiancé" she explained. The truth hit Ota hard, but he couldn't blame her. There was no way for him to have known that. "Besides, he's kinda dangerous too. If he heard you tried to ask me out, it could mean some trouble" she added with a sad smile. D-dangerous?! Ota was already imagining some big gangster or yakuza grunt. They'd throw him into Tokyo bay! Hanayo sensed his fear, quickly taking control of the situation. "D-don't worry, I'm not going to tell him. It'll be our secret" she reassured him. Ota relaxed after hearing that; he was already writing his will in his head. "A fiancé? How sweet. I hope my Ota can be as lucky as you two are" Mayumi smiled. She must have forgotten the part about Ota asking Hanayo out or blotted it from her memory entirely. Either way was good for Ota.

"Y-yeah, I hope I can be as happy as you are" Ota agreed. "Oh, don't worry Ota, you're a good guy. I'm sure you'll find someone for you" Hanayo reassured him. But Ota wasn't sure. He had no idea how so many people were dating and getting married. Meanwhile, he couldn't even get a date. "How did you do it?" Ota asked. "You mean how did I meet my fiancé?" Hanayo asked. Ota nodded; he might as well get some tips. The nurse looked rather bashful, staring at her tea. "W-well, we met after sharing similar interests" she began. Ota could see that, but he hardly found any girls that were as crazy about Iris as he was. Even so, he imagined dating would be rough like that. He still thought about finding a girl that liked anime and manga, which would be more manageable. "Similar interests? Like you guys have similar hobbies?" Ota asked. "Y-yeah like that. We met at a mixer and really hit it off. He is a good listener and really thinks about my needs" Hanayo explained. Ota liked the sound of that, her fiancé sounded like a really good guy. "We went on a few dates and after a while, he proposed to me. I couldn't help but say yes" Hanayo sounded so happy recalling the moment. It almost made Ota jealous. His proposal had been less successful, so he felt a little bitter about hearing someone else success. "There is still so much I don't understand" he sighed. "Oh Ota, there is someone out there for everyone. You just have to be patient" Mayumi smiled sadly at her son.

"She has a point; you shouldn't rush these things. Just try mingling around for a bit and make friends. Who knows, you might find someone who catches your eye" Hanayo agreed. Ota couldn't help but think they were treating him like a kid again. It was like he was turned down by his crush in high school or something. But he knew they meant well at least. "Yeah, I know. I'm just a little eager" Ota smiled. Mayumi sipped her tea, gazing at the wall. Both Ota and Hanayo recognized this as Mayumi losing track of her thoughts. She most likely forgot the conversation and would snap back asking them what they were talking about. "It's not bad to be eager Ota, but you should pace yourself. If you try to rush things, you'll only get hurt" Hanayo advised him. Mayumi's gaze went back to Ota, seemingly listening in. "She's right, especially once you age more. You can't rush things anymore" she laughed. Ota sighed, knowing his mom forgot the topic and mistook the conversation. "Yeah I won't rush things anymore" he sighed. Hanayo checked her watch, standing up. "Well, it's time to go to sleep Mayumi. Let's get you to your bed" she announced. "Is it really that late? Time sure does fly" Mayumi chuckled as she stood up. She followed Hanayo into the back hallway that led to the rest of the house. Ota was left alone in the dinner, sitting with these thoughts. Now that he was alone, he couldn't help but feel restless. He needed to clear his head. He downed the rest of his tea and stepped outside.

The sun had already set, but the city lights kept everything illuminated. He ended up walking back into town as he mulled over the advice Hanayo had given him. Be patient? Hadn't he already been patient enough? He had been watching Iris from afar and finally met her. He worked alongside her and supported her on the internet. But apparently, that hadn't been enough. Ota had visited Sunfish pocket and requested Amame every time. Had his visits and patronage not been enough either? Ota felt sick harboring these selfish thoughts, but he couldn't keep them bottled up any longer. What would he have to do to be good enough for someone? He already worked hard to support his mom and was aspiring to be a writer. Was it because he wasn't going for something glamorous? Or maybe no one saw past the Otaku and NEET title he was given? Ota felt lonely at the idea people were taking him at face value. He couldn't give up the things he liked; he shouldn't have to! And yet, he was still single. Ota sighed, looking ahead as he walked. His eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the couples in the area. He was sure they were having fun being all lovey-dovey and what not. He continued to walk, heading for the Kabuki Cho district. It wasn't his intention to go there, but he knew the shops and cafes would be closing soon so he wouldn't find any solace there. As he crossed the street, his eyes caught a familiar face. A woman stood across the way, wearing a signature red jacket.

Ota recognized the woman as Date's Boss. Actually, that's all he knew about her. If Date called her boss, then he figured he out to refer to her the same way. It would feel weird if he didn't. But now he wondered if it would be appropriate to talk to her. He didn't have any business with her, and he wasn't sure what to say for small talk. As he stood there, he didn't realize she was walking up to him. "Ota, funny seeing you around here so late" she greeted him. Ota jumped at the sound of her voice, had he been that out of it? "O-oh hey Boss" he greeted her. The woman stopped with a look of shock on her face. But she quickly shook it off. "Is everything okay?" Ota asked. He hoped he wasn't in trouble again. "Yeah, just a little weird hearing you call me that" she admitted. Ota began to tell himself he was right; he should have just turned around and gone home. "Just call me Shizune," the woman told him. Ota was a bit surprised, that was a pretty name. Of course, she was pretty! But with how assertive she had been to him; Ota would have thought her name would be classier. "Okay, Shizune" it sounded nice coming from his mouth. He wondered if this meant they had become closer now. "So, what are you doing out this late? Causing trouble?" Shizune teased him. "N-no! Just out for a walk!" Ota reassured her. The last thing he wanted was for the police to be suspicious of him. He wasn't exactly "clean" after all. The last thing he wanted was for them to go through his laptop and find his torrents.

"I'm kidding, no need to be so tense. Things have calmed down for once. It's refreshing" Shizune chuckled. Ota let out a sigh of relief, she was just messing with him. Now that he thought of it, Date complained to him a bit about her doing things like this. He recalled Date also saying she made a lot of dirty jokes; he was going to stay on guard. "Sorry, it's just I had a long day" Ota confessed. Which was true, his day had felt long with how many times he had been rejected. It felt like ages had passed by and he was just realizing it. "Really now? How about you join me for a drink then?" Shizune offered. Before Ota could protest, she was leading him into a nearby bar. "Don't worry, you're of age anyways. You don't have to drink anything either" she told him. Ota sighed, giving in and taking a seat at a table with her. The bar was fairly busy, but not enough he couldn't hear her over the other patrons. He blushed slightly; this was like a date wasn't it? He dismissed the thought as Shizune began looking at the menu. "Have you eaten yet? I'm going to order some snacks for the table. You shouldn't drink on an empty stomach" Shizune explained. Now that she mentioned it, Ota hadn't eaten since his visit to Sunfish Pocket. His stomach growled at the mention of food. "I'll take that as a yes" Shizune laughed. A server came over and she began to order. "I'll take a beer and an order of rice cakes," Shizune said. Both she and the server looked at Ota. He panicked, the manly thing to do would be to order a beer too. But Ota didn't really like alcohol. "I'll have a melon soda," he said sheepishly. No matter how much he wanted to impress Shizune, he wasn't going to eat something he disliked.

The server left and silence overcame the table. Ota looked nervous while Shizune was calm as ever. "So, Ota, what have you been up to?" Shizune asked. Ota flinched; he wasn't sure how to answer. The way she was looking at him was like she already knew. Date had mentioned she was sharp, so Ota knew better than to lie. "Oh, just working right now. With my mom needing medicine and all, someone has to bring in the dough" he explained. He hoped he didn't sound ungrateful to her. "Wow, so you've become the man of the house. Impressive" Shizune grinned. Ota felt his body heat up, was she saying he was attractive? No one had really described him as being a man before. "Y-you think so?" he asked. "Yeah, anyone willing to take responsibility is good in my book" Shizune agreed. Ota couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He was a man after all, despite his mom calling him boy all the time. "Oh shucks, I'm just doing the right thing" Ota laughed shyly. Their drinks arrived and Shizune didn't hesitate to drink hers. Ota couldn't help but gape at the woman as she chugged half her beer down. She did it all in one breath, sighing loudly once she was done. Ota had seen some guys do that before, but never a woman! "That hits the spot!" Shizune laughed loudly. Ota took a nervous sip of his soda, hoping she didn't catch him staring at her. Shizune ate some of the snacks, still looking at Ota. "What about Iris? Is she doing well?" she asked. Ota felt his body go cold at the mention of Iris. The rejection playing in his mind once again.

"Y-yeah she's doing fine, better than ever" he reported. But the mood had dampened as he began to sulk. "What's wrong Ota? You look down?" Shizune asked him. Ota had already embarrassed himself enough today, he no longer felt the need to hesitate. "I got shot down by Iris today, so it just reminded me when you asked" he explained. Shizune gasped softly, taken back. "Oh, I'm sorry. I had no idea; you don't have to go into detail if you don't want to" she told him. "Thanks, I'd rather not talk about it too much" Ota agreed. It was like tearing off a fresh bandage for him. "Don't let it drag you down, there are plenty of other people out there. I've been single for a long time y ‘know" Shizune confessed. Ota felt two things in him. In one instance, he felt a sense of relief that someone as pretty as Shizune was having trouble getting a date. But also, he wondered if she was coming on to him with that statement. "Really? I'm surprised. You're so pretty" Ota admitted. "Aw thanks, I know I am. But a pretty face isn't enough" Shizune told him. Ota found that hard to believe with the crowd Iris and Amame pulled in. "I may be beautiful, but some guys can't handle me" Shizune sighed almost proudly. Ota was slightly jealous of how cool she was being. Especially after the little tantrum, he had thrown in his head. "Is that so? Would you agree it's what's on the inside that counts?" Ota asked. "Oh definitely, too many guys approach me thinking I'm a certain way and then get cold feet around the real me. It's almost insulting" Shizune sighed.

Ota couldn't relate but he was willing to listen more. "They get cold feet?" he asked. "Yeah, when they see my apartment, they get all nervous about coming in and makeup excuses. Or when I mention I like going to clubs they suddenly get wary of me" Shizune continued as she finished the last of her beer. She waved down the server for another one as Ota processed all of it. She really was an aggressive woman but in a good way. Would he be able to handle her? As Ota played it out in his head, he probably would be taking a more submissive part in their relationship. With how direct and assertive Shizune was, he doubted he would be wearing the pants int he relationship. "Just remember this Ota, a woman shouldn't be taken at face value. We're very complex beings, so get to know us before you jump the gun" Shizune lamented as she switched her empty glass for a full one. Once again, Ota marveled at her ability to handle her alcohol. He wouldn't stand a chance with her after all. "I'll remember that" Ota agreed. Shizune smirked, looking at him with a spark in her eyes. "Good boy, if only you were twenty-years older" she sighed. Ota blushed furiously, was she hitting on him? Shizune chuckled loudly as she reached for more rice cakes. "What am I saying? Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable" she apologized. "It's okay, I kinda liked it," Ota said quickly. He wished he could have swallowed those words instead.

"Praise really does it for you huh?" Shizune smirked. Ota felt himself getting hot under the collar, maybe it was the smell of the alcohol in the air? "I-I'm not sure what you mean," he said nervously. Shizune laughed again, dismissing her statement. "Anyways, you shouldn't rush into a relationship Ota. Enjoy your life, for now, you will have plenty of time to worry about meeting someone later" Shizune lectured him. For some reason, her words really resonated with him. Since he had graduated high school, he had been living life to his enjoyment. He hadn't thought about dating, just living. Everything had been fine then, so why was he so hung on getting a girlfriend now? "You're right, I feel so silly for letting this get the best of me" he sighed. Enjoying his life was more important than searching for a partner, less stressful too. "We all have our moments," Shizune told him in a reminiscent tone. Her brows furrowed and she finished the last of her beer. "Well, that's enough for one day. Anymore and I mart start stripping" she sighed. Ota thought he was going to have a heart attack when he heard that. But he chalked it up to more of her dirty jokes. "I'll cover the bill, my treat," Shizune said as she went up to pay. Ota couldn't help but admire her. In a way, he wished he could be that free. But he didn't let it hang over him for long. He liked how he was and didn't want to change. For now, he'd just focus on publishing his book and taking care of his mom.

Ota stood up and walked to the entrance of the bar with Shizune. There were fewer people about as midnight was right around the corner. He checked his phone for any messages, but none had appeared. "I can walk you home if you'd like" Shizune offered. "It's okay, I'll be fine on my own" Ota reassured her. Both parted ways as they retired home for the night. This time, Ota walked with a skip in his step. He felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. There was nothing wrong with him and there was no need to jump into a relationship just yet. He was young and had plenty of time to find his soulmate. Even if Iris and Amame didn't want to pursue a relationship, they were still good friends of his. That was enough for him. Ota made it home and couldn't help but stay up a bit more to write. He felt motivated by his newfound confidence in himself. He didn't stay up too late though, he had work early in the morning. As he finished his paper route, he finished printing off his final draft and headed to Lemniscate. This time, he was there to see Mizuki. He dropped the draft off in front of her and let her read it over. "Wow, this better than last time," she said in amazement. Although, she still found some errors in his work. Ota appreciated it none the less. "You really put a lot of work into this, are you ready to publish?" Mizuki asked. "No, not yet. I just wanted you to look at it first" Ota explained. While publishing might be the next step, he wanted more people to read it first. He even thought about posting a bit online just to make a name for himself first.

It would be his first work and he didn't want it to flop. "Good idea, I'll make Date read it too" Mizuki snickered. "Hehe, I bet he will like it too" Ota laughed with her. Honestly, Ota had printed out a copy for Hanayo and Shizune too. He wanted to get their opinions as well. He'd find time to meet them and pass it along, but for now, he wanted Mizuki's sharp mind. "He told me about you asking him out, Date's too much of a butt to date. Get better tastes Ota" Mizuki pouted. Ota laughed nervously, of course, Date would have mentioned that to her. "Aw but Date is kinda cool, I think we'd make a great couple" Ota argued playfully. "No way, Date does a lot of weird stuff at home and hides strange videos from me. I see him watch them when he thinks I'm not at home, he might be a conspiracy theorist!" Mizuki argued. From what she described, Ota couldn't really blame Date. Even he had some personal stashes of his own. "Conspiracy theorists? He doesn't seem the type" Ota said. "Yeah, Date is a one-track mind, he wouldn't be able to hold a theory for longer than a second" Mizuki quickly dismissed her claim. Ota thought his head was going to spin from how quickly she flopped on him. Despite her words, he knew she cared about him enough to tease him. "Anyways, I gotta get going. I've got a shift at the shop today" Ota said as he gathered his things. "Yeah, I got to talk to the advisor about some new products too," Mizuki said as she stood up. She stopped before the door to the rest of the building. "Hey Ota?" she began.

Ota looked at her with a puzzled expression. It was rare for Mizuki to be so solemn. "Even though Iris said no, I think you'd be a great husband to someone" Mizuki smiled at him before leaving. Ota couldn't fight back the big smile that stretched on his face. He packed his bag and left happily. Yeah, he would make a great husband someday, but today he was going to be a great writer.


End file.
